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The State League pays monthly for a Pro Zoom account, which lets us host meetings of up to 100 participants with no limit on meeting time. State Zoom account is available on a first come, first served basis. Default meeting time is one hour - please contact us at lwvor@lwvor.org if you need more time.

June was quite a month for LWVOR. We have been installing and orienting new Board members, adopted a new budget, are onboarding new staff, and had a number of very keen events (including a Communications Café with our Attorney General Dan Rayfield and the large contingent of 15 in-person delegates and observers at the 2026 National LWVUS Convention in Columbus, Ohio). Our Youth Council sent 4 delegate members to Convention. Chloe, Arya, Elizaveta and Hai were outstanding contributors to the Convention. At one point their impassioned, exuberant, and very detailed testimony on a resolution to call out federal video surveillance overreach received a standing ovation from the more than 900 participants from 49 states. That resolution will now enable Leagues across the nation to sue to protect citizens privacy rights. They received mention from the LWVUS President as the youngest resolution proponents in US Leagues 107 year history. Then they all danced back to their seats. They went on to introduce amendments to another resolution considering the addition of Board Emergency Powers Bylaws. Our youth delegates believe a majority of the Board is too low a bar to invoke emergency authority, that transparency and reporting to the membership is called for, and that there must be clear condition/criteria to cease such invoked powers. They did not prevail even though their amendments echoed other interests. Membership chose to leave those procedures to the board. The way their position was explained to me by an 18 year old is that “government chaos is all I’ve ever known and it happened on your watch.” She said, “I was eleven when Donald Trump first came into power. I’m not so sure I trust any of you.” They are furthering our legacy of defending democracy and empowering voters while maintaining integrity, transparency and alignment with our League Principles. We should be very proud. In League, Mark Kendall LWVOR President

🔄 Auto-Renewals Now Process on Expiration Date Based on League feedback, auto-renewals will now process on a member’s expiration date instead of one year from the date of payment. Members who have already received a renewal notice under the previous system will renew on the date provided in that notice, but all future auto-renewals will follow the member’s expiration date. 🛠️ Additional Portal Updates Several additional improvements were made in response to League feedback: The term "webmaster" has been updated to "web manager." New member notifications no longer indicate whether a membership was League-subsidized, and 90-day expiration reminders for subsidized memberships are now sent only to presidents, treasurers, and membership chairs. A brief issue causing new members to appear as renewals in notification emails has been resolved. The Recent Member Updates screen now supports exporting data. State League leaders now have access to the Events and Recent Member Updates features for local Leagues. Helpful Links 📌 LWVUS Member Portal Resources 📌 LWVUS Membership Portal Updates 📌 LWV Member Portal Administrator’s Guide 📌 Automatic Emails from ChapterSpot (PDF) For specific membership portal questions, contact membership@lwv.org.

Hai Nguyen Event Coordinating Chair, LWVOR Youth Council I first joined the League of Women Voters Youth Council looking for ways to become more politically engaged and to develop my own political context. Fast forward two and a half years and I’ve just returned from the League’s 57th Biennial Convention. I was there not only to discuss the future of the organization but to help shape it in their continuous fight. I worked alongside others to empower voters and defend democracy. It was an incredible experience filled with speeches delivered, motions made, and votes cast. Hai Nguyen at LWVUS Convention 2026 Along the way, I was asked why a young man would choose to attend and share his perspective in a room filled with experienced women activists and seasoned leaders. My answer was simple: I’m eager to contribute and to do my part, however small, in the ongoing work of strengthening our democracy. I would to express my deepest gratitudes to the mentors who have supported and empowered me during my time on the Youth Council and throughout the trip: Diana DeMaria, Jean Pierce, Mark W. Kendall, Barbra Klein, the Oregon Delegation, and the Pennsylvania delegation sitting behind us. Your guidance, steadfast support, and expertise was catalysts to my growth. I am equally grateful for my fellow council members who made the unforgettable trip even more memorable, Arya Riogeist, Liza Rott, and Chloe Acosta. I also did not forget the countless cheers and words of encouragement that I received within the Convention venue, but also when passing by getting dinner or matcha. I appreciate those too. I’m grateful to everyone who welcomed me, challenged my thinking, and reminded me that democracy is strongest when people of all generations choose to participate.

Youth Council < Back About the Issue LWVOR Youth Council is a youth-led nonpartisan network of young civic leaders focused on increasing political engagement among young Oregon voters. Youth Council offers: Membership at three levels! Includes LWV of the US, LWV of Oregon, and your local League Opportunities for participation as a national and state convention delegate or observer Participatory civic engagement and education Community service hours with Certificates of Recognition Find out more and join here !

Youth Rights Youth Council LWVOR encourages youth participation in government at every level. Read More

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 4/28 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: Melanie Moon Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Columbia River Gorge Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Forestry (ODF) Governance Land Use & Housing Oregon Parks and Rec. Dept. Water Wetlands Wildfire AIR QUALITY SB 726 A requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR supports. The bill has been referred to the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment where it will receive a public hearing on May 1st. AGRICULTURE By Sandra Bishop SB 1129 A Requires Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) to amend rules on urban reserves. The bill deals with prioritizing lands to be added to urban reserves. The bill passed the Senate and is scheduled for hearing April 28th in House Committee on Housing & Homelessness. HB 3560 A Expands the areas where childcare centers are allowed to be sited. The nexus with farm and forest land is a provision in the bill to allow a county to impose reasonable conditions on establishing a family child care home in areas zoned for exclusive farm use, forest use, or mixed farm and forest use. The proposal would also move statutes governing the siting of childcare facilities to the chapter of Oregon Revised Statutes relating to comprehensive land use planning. The bill has passed the House and is scheduled for hearing May 1st in Senate Committee on Early Childhood & Behavioral Health. BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra Bishop SB 992 is the omnibus bottle bill. The -3 amendment replaced the original bill, was adopted and the bill passed the Senate and has been assigned to the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment . This bill is Portland-centric and contains various changes to the bottle redemption centers in Portland to address problems and make it easier for those who return and redeem beverage containers on a daily or near daily basis. It also contains a provision that would allow a winery to refuse to redeem containers of a type or brand they do not sell. The League has not taken a position on the specific changes proposed in SB 992, but has always supported the bottle bill and continues to support the most appropriate, effective, and environmentally sound recycling and recovery of beverage container materials. BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 I nfo mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Meeting Materials Of critical importance is their request for a new IT system—ONE ODA--one of the many IT bonding requests this session. Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Info mtgs. March 24 and 25 with public hearing March 26. Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 Info mtg. and public hearing March 13. An KGW article explains a potential funding issue since both Oregon and Washington must provide equal funding for the Commission. April 27 is a critical decision date at the Washington legislature. A new OPB article updates the latest. Unlike Oregon, Washington state has a House and a Senate separate budget proposal. Hope is that Governor Ferguson will recognize the importance of this Commission’s work. Ferguson has until May 20 to approve the budget. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Meeting Materials . info mtgs. April 7-9, public hearing April 16. League testimony Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 info hearing 2/10, Meeting Materials , public hearing 2/11. April 28: Natural Resources Subcommittee info hearing on Department of Energy - Grid Resilience. Meeting materials Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 info hearing 2/10, public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 , public hearings Mar. 31 & Apr. 1-2; Meeting Materials , Apr. 3 ODFW Hatchery Assessment; See also the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord and Aquatic and Invasive Species. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . info hearing March 10 & 11. Public hearing March 12. Meeting Materials ; See the April 15 informational meeting on the Private Forest Accord. (See the Forestry and Wildfire sections for more information.) Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR points out that KPM #4 , mine inspections has consistently NOT met the small 20% target so, if staffing is needed to meet that target AND fees increased to pay for them, we will continue to support. LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. On March 25 the bill was moved to Senate Rules without recommendation. A performance audit was prepared. The League will continue to be involved in SB 836 because we need DOGAMI staff to do more than 14% inspections of mining operations. On 4/23 League did outreach to the Senate Rules Committee members with a history of LWVOR engagement with DOGAMI and explanation of our support for SB 836. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . SB 817 is a bill to request a minor fee increase. It has passed the Senate. A public hearing was held on April 23 in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water . Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 Public hearing Feb. 17 Meeting Materials See also the April 15 informational meeting on Aquatic and Invasive Species. Work Session set for May 7 along with HB 2558 A modifies the definition of "charter guide" for purposes of outfitter and guide laws. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 Info hearing March 17. public hearing March 19. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony in support. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources will have an informational meeting on the Elliott State Research Forest on April 22 . Meeting materials . Work Session set for April 30 for SB 5539 and for SB 147A, Elliott State Research Forest policy and funding bill. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. &Public hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Info mtgs. 3/12, 13 & 17. Public Hring 3/18. Additional informational meetings: Held April 7 and Scheduled April 22. Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 info hearing 4/7&8. Public hearing 4/09; Office of the Governor: SB 5523 LFO meeting materials . April 28 Public hearing Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 i nfo hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20. Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. Here is an article from oregonlive reporting on the potential 2025 transportation package with proposed revenue sources. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding . The Joint Committee on Transportation may begin having public hearings on elements of the 2025 transportation package starting May 12th. Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 info hearings 3/03-5, public hearing 3/06. Meeting Materials Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Info hearings 4/29-30. Work Session 5/01 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 2. Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, will be held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL Ocean Policy Advisory Council Meeting, May 7. OPAC will meet virtually from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Meeting information will be made available via the Oregon Ocean Information website . Contact: Andy.Lanier@dlcd.oregon.gov COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE COMMISSION The League has been a supporter of the Commission since its inception. League members have served on the Commission. A shared responsibility between the states of Washington and Oregon, this year a Washington House of Representatives member is considering defunding the Commission. Funding must be equal between the two states. This KGW article explains the issue. April 27 is a critical decision date at the Washington legislature. LWVOR reached out to LWVWA and learned that they were unaware of this funding crisis. We understand that a conference committee is meeting to resolve the disagreement between the chambers. Not funding would be a violation of the Gorge Compact. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that m odifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. A public hearing was held April 17 in the House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment . The League then shared with each committee member our testimony in support of HB 2168 , a bill that would fund this grant and loan program. A work session is set for May 1st. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) SB 147 clarifies the management of the ESRF into the hands of the Dept. of State Lands and sets up a separate fund account for monies received to manage the forest. The bill will have a work session in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on April 30. It had an informational meeting on April 22 . DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) The agency gave a presentation on the proposed pilot project for a Geologic Carbon Sequestration Test Well on April 23 in the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment. FORESTRY (ODF) By Josie Koehne The League provided testimony in support of HB 3489 , a timber severance tax bill that would help fund ODF, provide funding for wildfires and monies that would go to counties where timber is harvested. A public hearing was held on April 24 where the League testimony supported also the -1 amendment proposed by the sponsor. The Legislative Revenue Office provided explanations of a variety of taxes on timber harvest before the hearing on HB 3489. The Board of Forestry April 23rd mtg. agenda is focused on a process for selecting a new State Forester. The Board wants to address their current role as appointee. However, they are aware of the Governor’s bill in the legislature. The League will continue to follow SB 1051 , assigned to the Senate Rules Committee and which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor. A public hearing was held March 24. Because the bill is in Senate Rules, there is no current deadline for action on the bill. See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. GOVERNANCE The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking. After legislation is passed, agencies are required to implement those laws. That action often requires rulemaking to clarify the details around that implementation. But the League is concerned when legislators “get a second bite at the apple” by relitigating the legislation when rulemaking is only meant to implement, not change policies or facilitate an agency’s mission. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies : This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. We continue to watch a series of bills related to rulemaking which we might oppose: HB 2255 , HB 2303 , HB 2402 and HB 2427 . We are also concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. We may sign on to a letter explaining our concerns to legislative leadership. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures . LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra Bishop/Peggy Lynch A presentation was provided to Senate Committee on Housing and Development on April 23rd by the Governor’s Office and others. This was an opportunity for Senate members to learn more about the House Chamber housing bills sent to Ways and Means. The Senate Committee will hold an informational presentation on Housing and Homelessness bills that have been sent to Ways and Means on April 30. HB 2647 passed the House floor and was assigned to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire. On April 29 it is set for a work session “solely for the purpose of moving it to another committee”. Usually that means to the Senate Rules Committee for further discussion, debate, to be moved to Senate floor or to die. HB 3921 is a similar bill in that it would allow by law land swaps for City of Roseburg/Douglas County per this preliminary staff analysis . The bill passed the House and will have a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing and Development on April 30 and a work session set for May 7. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. The bill was sent to Revenue with a subsequent referral to Ways and Means. See also the Agriculture section above and the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. WATER By Peggy Lynch Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) provides a statewide inter-agency framework for better understanding and meeting Oregon's instream and out-of-stream water needs. Here is the IWRS website . Oregon's Water Resources Commission adopted the first IWRS in 2012 and the second in 2017. A League member served on the Policy Advisory Group for each. Oregon Revised Statute (536.220) was updated in 2023 to requires that the IWRS is updated every 8 years.  Draft 2 is now available for Public Review and Comment. Please submit your written comments to WRD_DL_waterstrategy@water.oregon.gov on or before May 7, 2025 . Bills we are following: Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ) . A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill passed the House. It has been assigned to the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire with a public hearing on April 29. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. House Rules has a public hearing set for April 30 consider the A8 amendment that will extend the timeline for testing to 2027. A work session is scheduled for May 1st. HB 3364 makes changes to the grants programs at the Water Resources Dept. The bill passed the House floor, and had a public hearing on April 24 in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire where a work session is set for April 29. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. Possible work session scheduled for April 8. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office, may have more of a chance of passage. It had a public hearing on March 25 with a work session April 8. These bills were moved to Senate Rules without recommendation as to passage to allow for further conversation. SB 1154 was amended by the -1 amendment and sent to Senate Rules without recommendation as to passage in a 4 to 1 vote. An article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle explains the bill and its controversy. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. The good news is currently Oregon is NOT in drought! However, the latest long-term forecast is for a hot (90 deg) May and a hot (100 deg) June! We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. As the weather gets warmer and more people and animals visit Oregon’s water bodies, it is important to watch for potentially deadly algal blooms. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. WETLANDS The League participated in rulemaking on Removal-Fill Program Fees earlier this year. After review by the Dept. of Justice and comments received, adjustments to the proposed rules will be shared on May 1st. At that time, the Dept. of State Lands will be hosting a second comment period from May 1 – 31, as well as two public hearings online. More to come next week. A new Rulemaking Advisory Committee has been formed related to Permitting and Mitigation in Oregon's Wetlands and Waters. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Many wildfire-related bills saw some movement this week, though the future of, perhaps, the majority of them remains far from certain. SB 83 , which would repeal the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statues related to it, was passed unanimously by the Senate on April 24, and referred to the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment. As of this writing no hearing has been scheduled. Also headed to that Committee, and scheduled for Public Hearings on April 29 are SB 75 A , which defines “high wildfire hazard area for purposes of developing an accessory dwelling unit on lands zoned rural residential, or a replacement building on lands zoned for resource uses”; and SB 85A , which directs the State Fire Marshal to establish a neighborhood protection cooperative grant program to help communities collectively reduce their wildfire risk. The League supports this bill as an extension of the work done in previous sessions. The Omnibus wildfire funding bill, HB 3940A , is scheduled for a Public Hearing before the House Committee on Revenue on May 1. All eyes will be on this hearing as wildfire season approaches and funding is shrouded in uncertainty. Oregon Department of Forestry has stated the minimum annual need for wildfire funding to address the growing wildfire crisis is around $280 million. It is quite unclear at present which of the several funding mechanisms in this bill, which were generated by the Wildfire Funding Workgroup, will move forward. Also in wildfire funding news, SB 1177 is still before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. SJR 11 also remains before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. It would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. Finally, HB 3489 , which imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before the House Committee on Revenue. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. The League is also still following other non-funding related bills, such as SB 926 , which would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. It was passed by the Senate on April 23 and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. SB 1051 , which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, remains in the Senate Rules Committee. HB 3666 has had no movement in the past week and remains in the Rules Committee. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. Finally, while the effects of Federal cuts on staffing and other areas of wildfire mitigation and suppression generally remain uncertain, it was announced recently by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) that Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants funding has been ceased by FEMA. The BRIC grant program provided money to help communities prepare for natural disasters before they happen. This act will result in a loss of wildfire mitigation funding, along with many other needed preparedness actions. In addition, some funds already allocated will be withdrawn. OEM outlined the impact the April 4 announcement from FEMA canceling the fiscal year 2024 BRIC grant program has on Oregon in this April 24 announcement . This development adds to the urgency of finding viable and substantial wildfire funding solutions this session. Bills we are watching: Senate Bill 1051 , Governor Kotek is seeking the authority to choose the next State Forester. The Board of Forestry has begun the recruitment process. SB 926 would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. The bill passed the Senate and has been assigned to House Judiciary. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.